1.1.2 Transfer between Resource and Discharges

Contents

1. Decision Making and Notice Period
2. Arrangements for Transfer
3. Arrangements for Discharge
4. Notifications
5. Aftercare/Contact

1. Decision Making and Notice Period

Before any decision is reached to discharge or transfer a young person, the Existing Manager (where the child is currently placed) must consult the social worker, parents or those with Parental Responsibility, young person and others, such as teachers, advocates or Personal Advisors. Preferably such consultation should occur at a Planning Meeting or Looked After Review.

Where it appears that the young person will benefit from a transfer from one Clifford House Resource to another, the Existing Manager should consult the Operations Manager, who will come to a decision about the suitability of the proposed move or termination of the placement.

Before the decision is made for a young person to move from one resource to another the issue of compatibility must be considered.

This means that the characteristics and needs of the young person who may be moving must be considered alongside the characteristics and needs of the young people in the new placement. The Operations Manager and the Manager in the new resource must be satisfied that if the placement is made, the placement will be suitable for all the young people.

Normally, young people will remain in their existing resource for a minimum of 28 days after the decision to move has been reached. In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary for a young person to move immediately, from one Resource to another. In such circumstances, the Existing Manager must consult the social worker but the final decision will rest with the Operations Manager.

Agreement to the Transfer/discharge must be issued by the placing authority in writing.

2. Arrangements for Transfer

It is understood that a change in placement is a major life event and may be accompanied by emotional and behavioural actions associated with loss and separation. Therefore, the Existing Manager should liaise with the social worker and New Manager and take all reasonable steps to ensure the young person's transfer or discharge is managed sensitively.

The young person and Parents should be consulted and kept informed of all key decisions and arrangements in relation to any transfer. If possible, the young person and parents should undertake visits to the new Home/Placement and should be provided with information about the home, such as brochures or guides.

The Existing Manager should liaise with the following people to ensure adequate plans and records (see below) are completed or brought up to date before the young person moves:

• The social worker
• Parents or those with Parental Responsibility
• The young person
• The New Manager
• Teacher/School
• Other relevant people/agencies, e.g. Personal Adviser, advocates

The Plans or records that must be brought up to date or completed by the social worker or others, and made available for the New Manager, are:

• The young person's Placement and Care Plan and Placement Information Record - the social worker is responsible for this record
• The Internal Transfer Summary Form
• Where appropriate, the young person's Pathway Plan - the social worker or Personal Adviser is responsible for this plan
• The young person's Personal Education Plan (PEP), any recent Individual Education Plan (IEP) or, where appropriate, the young person's Statement of Special Educational Needs - the social worker should obtain these plans/reports
• Details, plans or arrangements relating to the young person's Health Care Assessment

For transfers between the Homes, the Existing and New Managers must liaise with each other to ensure that all appropriate arrangements are made, for example:

1. The young person's Placement Plan - the New Manager is responsible for this but the Existing Manager should contribute/offer advice on plans/strategies that have been used. As a minimum the Placement Plan and Matching Form must be completed before admission.
   
   No contact may be permitted between the young person and his/her parents, relatives or friends unless agreed with the social worker and set out in the young person's Placement Plan.
2. The Existing Manager should ensure that the young person's file is brought up to date, collated, tidied then passed to the New Manager.
3. If it appears necessary, the New Manager should arrange a Planning Meeting, preferably before the move/transfer, but within 5 days. See Placement Plan Reviews/Placement Meeting Procedure
4. If there is a risk that the young person may abscond, become missing or may absent him/herself without authority, the New Manager should arrange for a Risk Assessment regarding the safe management of absconsion to be completed.
5. The New Manager should liaise with the social worker to ensure arrangements are in place for the young person to be registered with a GP, Dentist and Optician (see General Practitioners, Dentists, Opticians and Hospital Appointments Procedure) and should liaise with the Existing Manager to obtain information/arrangements for any medication or other healthcare arrangements.
6. The New Manager should check to ensure that the young person has had a Health Care Assessment in line with set out in Health Care Assessments and Health Care Plans Procedure, and liaise with the social worker as necessary if this is required.
7. The New Manager should ensure the young person is provided with:
   • A copy of the Placing Authority's Complaints Procedure
   • A Discharge Clothing List
   • Details of an independent advocate
   • All personal items and belongings (excluding withheld items)
   • Risk Assessment should be updated as necessary

For all transfers/discharges within the homes or to other placements, the Existing Manager should ensure the following arrangements are made:

1. That the young person takes all his/her clothing and personal belongings or that arrangements are made for them to be passed to the New Manager. The Existing Manager must ensure that the young person's belongings/clothing are packed in a luggage case or other appropriate packaging.
   
   Where children have been living at the home for an extended period, memento albums and photographs and moments about the home should be prepared for them so they have a record of their period of life at the homes.
2. If the young person is discharged from the homes, the Existing Manager must ensure that the young person's file is brought up to date, collated, tidied and archived.
3. The Existing and New Manager must ensure that the Referral Manager and others listed in Section 4, Notifications are notified of the transfer/discharge.

3. Arrangements for Discharge

It is understood that a change in placement is a major life event and may be accompanied by emotional and behavioural actions associated with loss and separation.

Therefore, the Manager should liaise with the social worker and manager or staff in the home/placement where the child is being discharged to, and take all reasonable steps to ensure the young person's transfer is managed sensitively.

The young person and Parents should be consulted and kept informed of all key decisions and arrangements in relation to the discharge. If possible, the young person and parents should undertake visits to the new Home/Placement and should be provided with information about the home such as brochures or guides.

The Manager should liaise with the following people to ensure adequate plans and records are completed or brought up to date before the young person moves:

• The social worker
• Parents or those with Parental Responsibility
• The young person
• The Manager/Carer of the home/placement to which the child is being discharged
• Teacher/School
• Other relevant people/agencies, e.g. Personal Adviser, advocates

The Plans or records that must be brought up to date or and passed to the social worker or new placement are:

• The young person's Placement Plan;
• The young person's Individual Education Plan (IEP);
• Details, plans or arrangements relating to the young person's Health Care Assessment

The Manager should ensure the following arrangements are made:

1. That the young person takes all his/her clothing and personal belongings or that arrangements are made for them to be passed to the new placement/carer; they should be packed in a luggage case or other appropriate packaging.
2. Where children have been living at the home for an extended period, memento albums and photographs and moments about the home should be prepared for them so they have a record of their period of life at the homes.
3. That the young person's file is brought up to date, collated, tidied and archived.

4. Notifications

The New Manager should liaise with the social worker to ensure that notifications of the placement are sent, by the social worker, to the Health Trust, Local Education Authority and Clifford House in the area where the child is placed if the move is into another Local Authority Area; these notifications must be made in writing advising of the placement decision and the name and address of the Home where the child will be placed. The social worker should also notify the young person's parents and significant relatives or friends, and should liaise with the New Manager to arrange contact with the young person. NOTE: No contact may be permitted between the young person and his/her parents, relatives or friends unless agreed with the social worker and set out in the young person's Placement Plan.

5. Aftercare/Contact

Any arrangements for aftercare or contact between carers and the young person or his/her parents/family must be agreed with the social worker and set out in the young person's Placement Plan and recorded in writing.

End